Developer: Phung Games
Publisher: Phung Games
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Jump, Step, Step – Review
Programming might seem like something really complicated, but the core principles can be seen as a sequence of actions. This is exactly the starting point from Jump, Step, Step. As you can already guess, you need to jump and step your way through a world where a little robot is trying to survive. Your task is to get him across safely, so let’s get programming and get that jump, step, step going.
Story
Jump, Step, Step isn’t the longest game and the same can be said about the narrative too. At the start, the little robot Bob is just as confused as we are. He is stranded and lost all his limbs, all while being desolated and confused. At least you’re there to help him back on track. Your guidance consists of telling him what to do so he can get back home, although he has quite an adventure ahead.
There is some funny bickering between the two, but there isn’t much more to it, as you need to focus on getting little Bob safely across all the different gaps.
Graphics
Regarding this matter, there isn’t much to say either. Okay, the graphics aren’t bad, but they won’t wow you either. The greenery looks lush and detailed, but it’s just sad that there isn’t much more variation. Okay, there are ruins that you need to surpass, but it doesn’t really touch a different theme, it’s always with the same greenery. Bob stands out against the environment and the different traps and gaps are nicely visible. Menu wise, things are a bit simple but it does the trick as the biggest task you need to do is select the correct actions and put them in a sequential order.
Sound
Music can make or break a game, and here it might be a tie between both. Just like the lack of variation for the graphics, the same can be said for the tracks. The same tune can be heard a lot and it might get on your nerves rather sooner than later. Although the sound effects are diverse and linked per action, the quality isn’t that great and sounds rather cheap.
Gameplay
Jump, Step, Step is a programming game where you need to put several actions in sequence (or parallel) so little Bob can get to safety at the end of the level. In the beginning, there is only a certain amount of actions you can take but when you progress the game and obtain more parts, this will increase.
If you’re fearing of battling monsters while having to think of all these sequences, you don’t need to worry. The only enemies you are facing here are the several obstacles that are spread across the world, being spikes or even puddles of water. Crossing these safely means jumping or just plainly waiting until it’s safe to continue. Don’t worry if you do make a mistake though, the game is rather forgiving and you can start again at the beginning of that level without any kind of negative effects or minus points. The only thing you need to do is start over and get that sequence correctly so you can get Bob to the next part safely.
In a title where the mechanics revolve around selecting the correct inputs, this does feel rather stiff and clunky. It happened multiple times that a wrong input was selected and it was a hassle getting that out of the sequence again. This certainly could benefit from some improvements.
Although the game might take a while because of the thinking work and getting the sequence just right, the actual content isn’t that long and if you can get everything right quite fast, you can get through in about half an hour. It would have been nice if there was more to explore as the ending feels like it was added in a rush. If it’s any consolidation, a second run-through will give you a nice extra perk that spices things up a bit but on the other hand, the core value of the game is tossed away then.
Conclusion
Jump, Step, Step is a game that revolves mostly around platforming with programming as its biggest feat. The environments look nice but a copy-paste of the same greenery and although the shrubbery looks detailed, it does lack some variety. The same can be said about the music, as the same tunes will blast through your speakers. Gameplay-wise, there isn’t that much to discover but it’s a nice title if you’re on the go and in need of some distraction.
Jump, Step, Step - Review,
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